5 Traditional Desserts of Pakistan you Must Try

Desserts are a delectable treat to enjoy at any time of day.

While Desi desserts may not be the most healthy, the desserts of Pakistan are worth every calorie!

A rice pudding can’t delight you the way a firni or a kheer does. A carrot cake cannot be compared with gajar ka halwa.

Churro swirls are no way near the the jalebi spiral, and ice cream won’t satisfy you like kulfa falooda!

From dessert parlours to roadside stalls, they are available 24/7, in every corner and nook of Pakistan.

DESIblitz enlightens you with the few such collections of desserts that Pakistan specialise in.

Thoothi Firni

Usually, after a good Desi dinner, the famous firni is served in a small, earthenware, clay saucer, called ‘thoothi’.

The taste of this pudding mixes with the smell of the fresh clay, absorbing the excess moisture. This keeps the rice, sugar, and milk ingredients, firm and creamy.

Flavoured with cardamom, decorated with chopped pistachio nuts, thoothi is found in pairs. Covered one over the other, and tied with a rubber band.

The best ‘thoothi’ can be found in Lahore, at Gawalmandi. Where quality remains outstanding, and not many can match its goods.

Swirling a wooden spoonful of milky firni around the glossy and soft clay saucer holds associations with childhood and home for many Pakistanis.

But, the best part is, you can easily make it at home in the UK with this recipe.

Nevertheless, you will have to get the earthenware saucers from Pakistan to feel the original taste!

Kulfa Falooda

It comes to no surprise that falooda in Pakistan is used as the best coolants to eat and drink.

With its rich, frosty and refreshing flavour, this falooda is a dream to counter the scorching summer sun.

Its mixture with chunks of kulfa makes it a highly melt-in-your-mouth experience that always pleases.

A scattering of jelly-like tuk malanga (basil seeds), few drops of rose syrup, a handful of vermicelli, and plenty of nuts, elevates the sweet mixture to a creaminess masterpiece.

However, every item can still be tasted distinctly.

Drizzle crushed ice over the kulfa falooda to further intensify the depth of this cool and treasured treat.

This heavenly dessert is the most popular at ‘Kasuri Falooda,’ in the heart of Lahore. With the interior decoration of mirrors, ‘Kasuri Falooda’ has a royal sparkle, making it stand out from all other falooda parlours in the city.

Dessert lovers of all ages will enjoy experiencing the unforgettable combination of kulfa and falooda.

Follow this simple recipe to feel this bowl of iced creaminess in the UK summer.

Rabri Kheer

Another milky and chewy ingredient, rabri is a popular thickened creamy milk chunk for Pakistani desserts.

You will be pleasingly surprised by its unique taste.

Rabri melts in your mouth and explodes into all sorts of salty and sweet flavours.

Chunks of rabri layered on kheer, made with the finest rice, sugar and milk, celebrates the special occasions of Eid.

Top it up with a sprinkle of almonds and pistachios for an extra crunchy indulgence to this irresistible sweet.

This unbelievably easy to follow recipe will ensure your taste buds are thoroughly pampered on celebrations.

Gajar Ka Halwa

This vibrant coloured semolina dish is made with one of the world’s crunchiest power foods – carrots. The cylindrical root vegetables are excellent for slightly sweetened flavours.

When it comes to health benefits, carrots are widely described as anti-aging gold.

Additionally, carrots improve vision and prevent cancer.

A combination of this orange treasure with milk, sugar, and ghee, makes it a widespread favourite across Pakistan.

Each chewy bite reveals a truly luxurious dessert, layered with khoya and topped with cashew nuts.

Tantalise your senses, and try out this recipe to recreate the gajar ka halwa at home.

Jalebi

Best eaten warm, straight from the cauldron, Pakistan is also famous for its crispy jalebis. 

Flavourless batter poured in a circular whirling manner, adds another dimension to the shape.

The sugar syrup layer makes each bite rich with gooey bits.

A delight so crunchy, that crumbles just as you bite into it.

Coated with sprinkles of thinly chopped coconut or pistachios, jalebi is often enjoyed as a light dessert.

Give into temptation and remake these syrup-coated knotted rings with this recipe.

Making your own Pakistani dessert at home, with these simply amazing recipes, allows you to reinvent a variety of flavours.

Finish off an excellent dinner with one of these sweet cravings, which represent the culinary and cultural heritage of pre-partition Punjab. They are defined as dishes blending the border of India and Pakistan. Bringing out the best of our sweet heritage.

Many Pakistani desserts are made by thickening buffalo milk. They are cooked for a lengthy time until turned into an intensive Khoya. Whilst others are creatively deep fried in hot oil.

However, the essence of a traditional Pakistani dessert lies in the importance given to its detailed decoration of nuts.

During special occasions, they are decorated with edible silver leaf, turning sweet presentations into works of art.

To represent the true taste, desserts are placed in unglazed clay pots. This adds a distinct flavour as you can almost taste the earth of the country and breathe in its aroma.

It is this elegance and purity that makes you crave for the sweetness of Pakistani desserts.